Ambushed
by BRNZ
Summary: Its the mechanics of *how* Walt and Vic would get their relationship started that fascinate me. In this story (which ambushed me too) Cady and Henry decide to take charge. Whats the worst that could happen? Set in the post S3 pre S4 void - some language and adult themes of course, feedback always welcome
1. Chapter 1

Vic knew she was grumpier than usual, and that made her even grumpier. Having been woken a couple of hours earlier than usual before her shift by an intensely erotic dream had just added fuel to the fire. Holding the hockey puck in a white knuckled grip, she remembered the particular highlights, torturing herself with the now fading memories of pleasure, clenching the muscles of her thighs in respons

His voice rumbled out of the office behind her "Vic" and she took a couple of deep breaths before attempting to stand and walk into Walts office. She lounged against the doorframe, hoping it looked casual and not that it was doing most of the work keeping her upright. He was donning hat and coat in preparation to going out, turned to her, adjusting the hardware on his belt (dear god!) and paused for a minute.

"You OK?"

She plastered on a fake smile and nodded "Fine".

"Hmmm" he rumbled "You look tired, sleeping alright?" and this time all she could do was nod. "OK I'm heading out to the courthouse, should be back in an hour". She nodded again, watching him leave before breathing out a huge sigh of relief and walked carefully back to her desk and sat, sinking her head into her hands and played out how the conversation COULD have gone,

"Actually Walt, I got woken up a couple of hours too early by a very erotic dream of you going down on me and I found it difficult to go back to sleep after that!"

She sighed again. It had been far too long since her last fuck, good bad or otherwise, and her body was making its opinion clear on the matter. She couldn't fault its choice of material, clearly she and her subconscious were on the same wavelength there and both had excellent taste. But god forbid she would spend the rest of the day wondering how his perpetually stubbled jaw would feel against the inside of her thighs….

Vic shivered, bit the inside of her cheek to gain focus and picked up the phone to call the DMV for the third time today, there were perps to catch after all.

xxxxx

Walt frowned as he headed down the stairs and across the street to his truck, and sat thinking for a moment before he buckled up and headed out. Vic had looked tired and truth be told, had been a little off the last few weeks. She seemed tense around him, and the easy relaxed banter they usually shared was a lot less relaxed. Too often there were long silences instead, of course he had to admit partial blame for those.

When you had woken up tangled in bedsheets, sweaty and hoarse from crying out, heart pounding and wearing the evidence of lust like a teenager, and the reason for it was the image of the blonde woman kneeling over him and riding them both to urgent shuddering climax, silence seemed a safer option.

He shook his head to clear it, adjusted his belt to a more comfortable position and started up the truck. Thank god the weather was cold enough to justify his long coat.

xxxxxxx

Cady slid into the seat next to Vic at the bar and signalled for a beer "Hey Vic".

"Hey Cady"

Cady turned in her seat, taking a long pull at the foam topped glass "How have you been Vic, after…everything?" a vague wave of the glass signalling the everything she meant.

Vic sank the rest of her beer in one go, she couldn't drive home if she had another one but she really didn't want to have this conversation without one and so gave the bartender a nod when he asked if she wanted another.

She smiled tightly at Cady and carefully did NOT say "Sure Cady, I'm fine, just been having amazing sex dreams about your father", and instead sad "I'm managing, I guess"

Cady nodded, "Yeah that's a good way to describe it". Events of the past few months had been difficult for Durant, and in particular the Sheriff department. Vic braced herself and said in return

"And you, I heard you had a new job?"

Cady smiled "Yes I got a job in Philly, head up next week to find a place and get stuff sorted" Vic clinked glasses with her in silent female solidarity

"Congrats, that will make your father proud".

Cady smiled and drank some more beer, and fiddled with the glass, making moisture rings on the bar before saying cautiously "Vic, about my Dad". Vic sighed and interrupted her

"Cady I'm not your Dad's keeper, if you want to talk to him then TALK TO HIM". Cady laughed softly and said "Fair point, but actually it was you I wanted to ask about, your …relationship with my Dad"

Vics heart sank "Cady, he is my boss, that's our relationship" _except she remembered the kissing, the touching, the feeling of bodies moving against each other and her body ached in response_.

Cady set her beer down "Please don't take this the wrong was but I got the definite impression there was more to it than that. After all you are still here?" she finished with a definite questioning tone.

Vic really wanted to be doing shots for this conversation but resisted heroically "Cady are you fishing or do you genuinely want to know? We don't know each other that well, and this isn't really a conversation I wanted to be having with the daughter of my boss" and Cady flinched a little at her harsh tone, pulling back and eyeing Vic for a moment.

She stood abruptly, picking up hers and Vics glasses "Lets do this in Henry's office, he is not here and won't mind" and walked away. Vic considered for a long moment and then reluctantly followed. They settled themselves, Cady ordering up a basket of fries and another round, and sat chatting about local gossip until the food and drinks arrived, and they wouldn't be disturbed further.

Dipping a fry into ketchup, she leaned forward looking intently at Vic before saying entirely unexpectedly "Vic I think my father is in love with you". Vic inhaled her mouthful of beer, coughed and sprayed it everywhere, and sat coughing and trying to get her breath back. Cady jumped up apologising, grabbed the napkins on the table and rushed out of the room, to appear shortly after with another handful and one of Henrys ever present soft white cloths.

Vic wiped her face, and dabbed at her clothing, while Cady wiped the spray off the table, and moved the soggy fries off to the side. Cady said very apologetically "Sorry I thought you knew". Vic was silent, her astonishment at what Cady had said balanced by the reality of her actually saying it".

Carefully, not giving anything away she asked "What makes you say that?"

Cady smiled "Oh lots of little things, the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is looking, how protective he is, how he spends so much time with you. Henry and I have a whole list we have put together". Vic shook her head at the thought of Henry and Cady in cahoots over this and then realised it was inevitable and said just as carefully "That's not evidence, that's conjecture".

Cady laughed and saluted her with her beer glass "Vic ever the capable detective" and she paused, clearly wanting to say something "Vic not sure how to say this or even if I should."

Vic felt her heartbeat suddenly increase, and the room felt warmer than it had been, she swallowed and said just as carefully as before "You have my discretion".

Cady huffed a laugh "Yes that's probably part of the problem. Fuck it Vic, don't ask me how the hell I know this but I can tell you he dreams about you" and stopped with a meaningful silence.

Startled Vic took a sip of her beer "Dreams?" she shifted uncomfortably "What kind of dreams?" Cady gave her The Look. Her heart pounding even harder now, she felt like she might pass out "Ummm I need a drink" Cady proffered the beer and Vic shook her head "No a REAL drink"

Cady stood up and walked to the other side of Henry's desk and rummaged in a cupboard, returning with a round glass bottle mostly full of dark amber liquid and two cut glass tumblers. She poured a generous portion into each tumbler and handed one to Vic "Henry's private stash".

Vic sunk hers like a shot, blinking and coughing at the unexpectedly strong alcohol fumes, but it was good stuff and burned nicely on its way down. "Hit me" and held her glass out again. Cady gazed a moment before pouring and then sat back, bottle on the table next to her. Vic had a good buzz on how so turned the hard eye on Cady and said "Spill, why are you telling me this?"

Cady looked surprised "Vic, I, well actually Henry and I were under the impression you felt the same way about Walt"

"Why?"

Cady looked sympathetically at her "All the same reasons I just listed but for you, plus you stayed. Here. In Durant." Cady took a deep breath and said "What are you waiting for Vic?"

Jesus her hands were shaking, did she risk telling Cady the truth or not? Despite the buzz she still had some control over her faculties and instead said cautiously "Cady if we are having this conversation, then is it fair to assume that you would be in favour of something… if there was a something….between Walt and myself?"

Cady laugh and clapped her hands "God you are a tough cookie, I totally get what Dad sees in you, yes of course!" She sobered "He was so lost after Mom died, for such a long time, and I think you were a big part in bringing him back. If you feel about him the same way, then you absolutely have my support" she leaned forward to press her hand briefly on top of Vics "Whatever makes him happy, I will do everything I can to make it happen, you understand?"

Gesturing to the two of them in the office and the alcohol "Even if it means having an impossibly embarrassing conversation with a hostile witness" Vic couldn't help it and burst out laughing, and that set them both off for a tipsy gigglefest. The ice was well and truly broken.

Vic tried to catch her breath "Sorry Cady, you took me by surprise a little. Scratch that, a LOT"

Cady smiled at her before continuing in an arch tone "But you still haven't answered my question Vic, are you in love with my father?"

She stared at Cady, the cards were on the table and she had no more in her hand to play and knew she couldn't bluff her way out of this one, so she did the only thing she could and nodded 'Yes, goddammit I am".

"But we have never….. " and waved a vague hand in indication "Hell he has never even kissed me!"

Cady held a hand up "LA LA LA LA HAPPY PLACE details not required". Vic would have quite liked there to have been details actually but instead she got Cady doing a victory whoop and throwing herself across the table to grab Vic in a spontaneous hug

"YES! Now all we have to do is get the two of you together" It took a moment through the alcohol buzz for Vic to process that

"Wait? What!"

Cady reached out a hand and took a firm grip on Vics knee "You two are made for each other. The biggest problem is you are both so damaged you will never talk to each other about it" Vic couldn't deny the truth in that.

"So Henry and I will take care of it".

The sinking feeling in Vic's stomach got worse as it now added an interesting churn and she whispered "Cady can you give me a ride home?"

xxxxxx

Despite several glasses of water and some Ibuprofen, the hangover was epic. What the hell was in that firewater of Henry's anyway? At least she hadn't been woken by any dreams last night.

Walt called her into the office an hour into her shift and gave her his most disapproving Sheriff face before saying "Vic" and she held a hand up

"Stop right there, yes I'm hungover on a Thursday at work which is entirely unprofessional, and I can assure you I'm regretting it in all sorts of ways. But before you yell at me you should know that this was Cady's fault"

And she stopped, resisting the urge to sink quietly into a fetal position on the couch and Walt blinked slowly at her "Cady got you drunk last night?"

She nodded and immediately regretted that too "She had some serious stuff to talk about that required alcohol" Walt nodded, he had been there many times himself.

"OK what was the serious business?" She crossed her arms, pondering her options but the cat was well and truly out of the bag, so instead of telling him to ask Cady or mind his business she said shortly "You" and stalked out of the room to her desk.

Walt sat back in his chair, thoughtful. Vic and Cady weren't particularly close as far as he was aware, so why were they talking about him?


	2. Chapter 2

WALT

Henrys voice pierced Walt's musings, he was idly going over the days business in his head, making sure he had taken care of all the essential details

"Cady confirmed with Vic, she feels the same way about you as you do about her"

_(long blonde hair tossing, limbs sliding alongside each other with urgency and pleasure)_

Walts fist closed on the can of Rainier, crushing it and spouting the remaining beer over his hand to splash onto his jean clad thigh. The irony of this was not lost on him as he shook drops of beer off his hand and accepted the cloth Henry handed him. He took his time cleaning up the mess, doing his best to assemble a coherent response

"And how does Cady know this exactly?" and his voice hardly shook at all. The look he received from Henry was long and weighted with meaning as Henry shook his head saying

"Cady asked her, of course" and the hand holding the cloth trembled noticeably so he held it down on the damp spot on his thigh and cautiously asked Henry "Why?"

The tall Indian crossed his arms and leaned back against the bar, giving him a very considering look for a long while and the tone of his voice was wry "Are you prepared to hear a truth? A truth you do not want to hear?"

Walt nodded and grated "Fine, but I need another beer first" and Henry obliged before leaning forward so he could speak directly to Walts ear.

"It is obvious to certain people how you feel about Vic, and it was also obvious she returned the favour. However you are both difficult damaged people with too much baggage to ever actually DO anything about it" the beer can in Walts hand creaked metallically as Henry continued "So we decided to make the decision for you both and confirm one way or another and then share the result" a fluid Indian shrug as Henry stepped back again, placing his large finely made hands on the bar "Walt, now it is up to you what happens next".

Jesus H Christ, Walt swallowed as his stomach did a long slow somersault as he realised the implications of what Henry had just said "You mean I need to talk to her…..?".

Henry nodded and put a familiar round glass bottle on the bar, saying "I suggest you use this". Walt looked at him in confusion so Henry explained "According to Cady she sank two double shots in a couple of minutes when they had their conversation". Walt looked at Henry in shock, when they drank it, they both nursed one single glass over an evening, no wonder Vic had had such an awful hangover the next day. He made a mental note to apologise to her and took the bottle, either way he was sure someone would need it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

VIC

There was a new awkwardness about Walt today and Vic knew that Henry had finally had The Talk with him, probably the previous evening. She knew from experience ie the last few weeks, that the situation wasn't going to get any easier. One of them was going to have to talk to the other, so she donned her 'big girl panties' and walked into his office late in the day and shut the door behind her, and stood there leaning back on it, arms crossed.

They stared at each other for a long moment before she broke the still awkward silence, gazing out the window and remarking in a studied casual tone "I guess Henry talked to you then?".

A long silence and then a rumbling "Yup". She didn't want to leave the comfort of the door but the distance between them was getting embarrassing, so she slouched forward closer to the desk, and stood, hip slung and arms still folded (so defensive!)

"So, apparently we should talk" flat statement, no question in her tone.

Another long wait and another "Yup"

She sighed and resisted the urge to kick the edge of the desk nearest her "Fuck it Walt! Its going to take a fucking long time if you are going to do it one word at a time!".

He nodded and lifted a familiar round glass bottle onto the desk, commenting "Yup, that's why Henry gave me this I suspect" and Vic shuddered "Hell no, I'm not touching that firewater shit ever again"

She aimed her most challenging glare at him and bit out "Talk. Us. When?"

He sighed, and leaned back in his chair "Will you come out to the cabin? I don't want to be disturbed and I want somewhere safe I can pass out if I need too"

Vic nodded one sharp nod, spun around and stalked to the door, pausing with one hand on the knob, she threw back over her shoulder, quietly intent "Cady said you …dreamed about me" and before he had a chance to respond she followed up "I….dream about you too" and she slipped through the door, closing it behind her.

Walt wondered about the odd stress he was sure he heard on the word "dream" and wondered if it really meant what he thought it might. His mouth was suddenly dry and his jeans suddenly a little tighter in places they hadn't been a minute ago


	3. Chapter 3

**Here you go possums, a lovely new chapter! Lots of people commented about the Cady knowing Walts dream thing - here's how it went down - Walt got a little drunk one night and made a comment or two to Henry, who being the clever observant friend, joined the dots and shared his suspicions with Cady. **

* * *

VIC

He left a fucking postit on her desk that evening TOMORROW 7pm COME FOR DINNER. BRING WINE IF YOU LIKE. She was annoyed at the high handed approach but also relieved he wasn't going to make them both suffer by dragging it out too much longer.

But OH SHIT! She was going out to the cabin! To Talk! About Them!

Vic wasn't sure which one of those statements scared her the most. The potential for awkward silences or crippling embarrassment was right of the scale really. No one had ever died of embarrassment surely? Maybe they hadn't tried hard enough!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WALT

He knew he took the cowards option, leaving the note on her desk, but he genuinely couldn't face any more shocks to his system and so left earlier than usual. The truth was he needed to do some, make that a lot, of cleaning up at home, plus organise something for dinner. Henry was going to be unbearably smug so Walt decided it was fair he provided dinner as well.

He spent hours tidying and cleaning, it sure made a difference and he realised just how badly he had been looking after himself. The empty beer cans filled two bin bags alone, and the floors were filthy, cobwebs in the rafters and the windows grubby outside and in. He needed to do a proper spring clean once the weather would allow it. But for now he worked well into the night, made sure the wood bin was full and prepared a shopping list for essential supplies, coffee, wine, the creamer she liked.

He even changed the sheets on the bed, noting they were nearly as threadbare as the cuffs on his favourite work shirts, the ones worn in to his shape. Walt sat on the end of the freshly made bed and took stock of his life. Cady had said some hurtful things when they were fighting about her relationship with Branch, about how he had stopped caring for himself and everyone else in his life when he was so buried in his grief. Even then he was in too deep to see clearly but now he couldn't deny the evidence laid out in front of him.

Cady was right and he needed to tell her that, and make it good between them on that point. He needed to start living again, for the future and not for the past. Cheered by this small internal victory Walt smiled and then stalled, if it was really going to happen, he also needed Vic, and that meant them both here, face to face, talking. Nervous now, he scrubbed suddenly damp palms up and down his faded denim clad legs.

She dreamed about him? He was both exhilarated and terrified by that idea, especially if they were anything like his dreams.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

VIC

Vic knew she was fluffing around, delaying leaving for the cabin. She was nervous and jittery and jumped when her cell beeped unexpectedly. It was a rare text from Walt. He had seen the light after Cady's accident but really only used his for calls, usually to Rubys' annoyance only outgoing calls. Vic hadn't realised he even knew how to text until she had received the first one a few months ago.

Hands shaking she keyed her phone open and read the message

[Dinner in the oven, ready in 30 min]

Shit, it was a 20 min drive! Grabbing her jacket and keys she headed out the door. A moment later she stormed back in and grabbed the overnight bag she had also packed and this time locked the door behind her, before roaring up the road in her truck, into the twilight.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WALT

He hadn't wanted to ask if she was on her way, but wanted some way of making contact in case she was having the same second thoughts he was, so a dinner reminder via text seemed a neutral enough option. He hadn't realised he was holding his breath til he saw the lights of her truck heading across the valley in the dark. He opened the door and gave her a hand up to the porch, the missing stairs yet another reminder of unfinished business.

He took the proffered wine and went to the kitchen to open and pour. From Henry's painstaking education he knew it was a reasonable quality wine, expensive enough to show someone cared about making a good impression without spending a fortune. He smiled at that and turned with both glasses in hand, and nearly tipped them down the front of Vic, who had uncharacteristically very quietly come into the kitchen behind him.

She took a glass and wandered into the lounge, idly circling the room before sinking to one end of the couch, now placed strategically in front of the glowing fire. She took a healthy sip before saying quietly "You cleaned up" she sounded surprised so his response was a bit gruff

"Yeah, a bit overdue really" and she laughed saluting him with her glass

"Walt your place was a tip" It was true and still was in some ways, so he shrugged and raised his glass in a toast "To Spring Cleaning, even in winter".

She eyed him over her glass as she sipped again and still surprising him said "Dinner smells good, I'm starving" and Walt startled, with her arrival he had forgotten about the food. Henry had provided a baked pasta dish and salad, commenting pithily that even Walt couldn't screw up assembling that into dinner. Walt hadn't argued, he knew he did great pancakes, and was OK with bacon and eggs, but hopeless beyond that. Maybe he should ask Henry to teach him something simple but tasty.

Dinner was served and eaten quietly in front of the fire. They talked shop and the tension in the room kept rising in spite of their calm quiet tones. Dessert had also been provided, an excellent Tiramisu.

VIC

The wine was one of her personal favourites, it went well with food and was a nice easy wine to drink. Dinner had been lovely, she had recognised Henry's hand in the cooking but gave Walt credit for thinking ahead and ensuring they had something pleasant to enjoy.

She was feeling a lot better about the world after indulging in a generous helping of Tiramisu and sat on her corner of the sofa, idly spinning her wineglass between her fingers, watching Walt tidy up in the kitchen. How could they be so easy with each other at work and suddenly clam up like teenagers on a first date. Even more embarrassing, she realised the warmth in her face was a blush merely from the thought of them being on a date.

WALT

He stood in the doorway, watching her lit by the fire, a warm glow to her face and basked for a moment in how beautiful she was, and the fact, the glorious fact that she was actually here. The realisation that it was now up to him to ensure she stayed sobered him up pretty quickly. He had never been good at this and took a deep breath, preparing to say her name but she beat him to the punch. She was full of surprises tonight.

"Cady said you were in love with me" and then she asked the impossible question "Why Walt? Why me?"


	4. Chapter 4

WALT

He rasped a hand over his jaw, thinking for a moment before responding "You stayed in Durant after your divorce. Yes I asked you to stay but I never really gave you any reason to. Why are you still here Vic? What are you waiting for?"

Vic stared up at him helplessly and shook her head and vaguely shrugged. Walt left his leaning perch in the doorway and sat near her on the sofa, gently taking one of her hands in his calloused scarred paw, and ran his thumb over her knuckles.

His voice rumbled like distant thunder "We work somehow, both as a team at work and ….something …..beyond that" he risked a side glance to see the faint beginnings of a smile and continued "Henry said it was obvious to everyone except for us how we felt about each other, but he also said we were both too damaged with too much baggage to ever be able to do anything about it".

Her hand tightened around his as she said "Cady said something very similar to me too". She took a deep breath and moved a little closer to him on the sofa "Walt, what are you afraid of, if we make this 'something' real?"

It was his night to answer impossible questions from this impossible woman apparently. He sighed, unaware he was still caressing her hand with his thumb

"It's a small town and people talk. Love to gossip and make a big deal of nothing" He cast a worried glance at her "Not to say that we would be nothing, I mean that it is nothing to do with them what the Sheriff does in his spare time"

Her voice was very amused as she said archly "Or who the Sheriff does in his spare time?" Walt could feel the blush up the back of his neck but nodded and continued

"Eventually some other scandal would take over but for a while it could be pretty unpleasant and uncomfortable. Of course the age difference between us would be a juicy tidbit, your divorce" his voice hitched for a moment "Martha".

Vic squeezed his hand with both of hers and tugged on it til he was looking her in the eyes "Walt, you just talked about everyone else, but the one person you didn't mention was me" and he stared at her, surprised again at her perception as she followed up, now cradling his hand in both of hers "Does that mean you aren't afraid of me?" She moved a bit closer on the sofa and now their knees were touching.

Walt shook his head, throat suddenly dry and took a large gulp out of the nearest glass of wine and his tone was rueful "Hell no Vic, I'm terrified of you!"

Her laughter rang out clear and bright, and she took her time about it, leaning back and holding one side. He was happy she was happy but a bit uncertain at exactly what he had said that was so damned funny!

VIC

Wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her top, Vic regained her composure and there was a glint in her eye, her voice still trembled with humour "Before I got here I was seriously wondering if it was possible to die of embarrassment, but your honesty and total lack of bullshit saved the day there, Big Guy".

Slowly she leaned forward and slung one leg over his and sunk down into his lap and they were shockingly close, face to face as she whispered "I'm going to kiss you now, are you going to get weird about it?"

He appeared to give this due consideration for a long minute then threw his devastating grin at her "I dunno, how about you kiss me and we find out"

So she did

xxxxxxxxxx

In the end they didn't need Henry's firewater after all, but chose to share a glass in celebration, naked, wrapped in blankets in front of the fire in the dark.

Vic was glad she had packed the overnight bag, and didn't comment at the obviously freshly made bed (he still made it military tight after all these years), mind you at the time she had been otherwise occupied and hadn't noticed til much later.

They fell asleep, she on her side and he wrapped around her. Neither dreamed at all that night or any other night they spent together and the dreams they did have only added spice to the next encounter.

Henry and Cady were predictably smug. Walt was right in that the town buzzed with gossip for several weeks and Vic ground her teeth in restraint on several occasions but eventually something else rose to take the spotlight.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Come spring Walt took a week off and did some serious work on the cabin, including steps on the porch and much needed maintenance. He even paid some professionals to do the bathroom after Vic refused to sleep over until he did something about the "feral" state it was in.

They kept her place in town, it was closer in winter and a nice quiet place for naps after pulling an allnighter, but most of the time she lived at the cabin.

Of course there were fights and arguments and when it got really bad Henry would pull out a familiar round glass bottle (that always seemed to be half full) and would glare at them

"Behave like the grownups I know you are"

Vic would smother a laugh and Walt would apologise and Henry would sigh, again.

Every year on a certain date, they would take Henry and Cady out to celebrate. Once, memorably Walt cooked, and Henry was like a nervous new father, but it was a success, in fact Walt's Pot Roast became a regular event for family dinners.

If you ring the Longmire residence you will get the answermachine most days, where Vic chirpily says "You have reached the Longmire cabin in the ass end of everywhere" and Walt rumbles shortly "Leave a message".

* * *

**There you are possums, a** **nice little HEA for your pleasure, I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Apologies if I confused anyone by changing my username, Im job hunting at the moment and wanted to ensure my username here was less obviously linked to my activity elsewhere, won't be changing it again.**


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